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Anyone could market or even direct "The Conversation" as a mystery, but Francis Ford Coppola manages to reveal some of our human tendencies in his film just as well as he holds us in suspense. Voyeurism, like it or not, is a human characteristic. Modern day reality television proves both that point alone and simultaneously that "The Conversation" is an excellent film because it has only ripened over the years.

Coppola's character Harry Caul, portrayed by Gene Hackman in one of his finest performances, is the embodiment of this guilty pleasure of spying on others whether covertly or casually. He's a professional wire-tapper, one of the best in the business, seemingly able to capture the most pristine recordings for all his clients even though he is rarely enlightened as to the purpose of his jobs. It's not too long before we learn that Harry is a devout Catholic who harbors a bit of guilt because his career founds itself on the don't ask, don't tell principle.

The film open with what its title promises: a conversation. Harry has been hired to record a conversation of a man and a woman on their work break. The conversation seems inconspicuous, but the more Harry deals with his mysterious client and goes back to listen to the tapes, the more he begins to hear and infer from the conversation. He eventually comes to the conclusion he might have recorded a death warrant and begins to grow paranoid.

Harry's complexity is the finest element of Coppola's script. The story develops slowly but Harry becomes a more peculiar figure in the viewer's mind as time wears on. At first it seems like he isolates himself for protection purposes, but his loneliness becomes more and more apparent. He constantly feels threatened and there feels like a layer of ice between him and his relationships in the film, especially two memorable scenes where he interacts with women.

Coppola's elegant framing and precision pacing do the rest of the work drawing us further in as the story progresses, highlighting our own preoccupation with the truth behind this couple's conversation. We're made aware of our own tendency to twist words and misinterpret what someone is saying, not to mention how easy and commonplace it really is to essentially spy on someone and invade his or her privacy entirely.

"The Conversation" properly mixes drama with mystery while offering a complete character portrait and subtle social commentary. Most films don't have that many tools working for them but Coppola's masterful script does. No single element is consummate or overrides the rest, but together they make for a fine film.

~Steven C

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This is one of those films I'm glad I gave a second chance because it got much better, and has continued getting better with each viewing (I've now seen it four times).

I know a few other people who watch this and ask, "What's the big deal?" Well, do what I did and give it another chance. Here's a tip: put on the English subtitles. It helps understand what is going on, as the taped conversations are often difficult to discern. Then, you might discover what I did: a fascinating character study, one that did not bore me as it had on the first viewing.

It's the study of a paranoid loner who is suffering a guilty conscience over the work he has done over the years, and what tragic consequences could happen with the latest project he's involved with. Without giving anything away, the loner's fears are realized in a shocking ending, but not in the way he imagined.

Gene Hackman, as always, does a super job of acting. He dominates the film as the main character, "Harry Caul." The topic matter - high-tech surveillance - was intriguing, too. After watching this film, I wondered what kind of surveillance tools are available now, 30 years after this film was made.

Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) is surveillance expert in San Francisco. He is very professional and stays away from the content of what he's recording. He is extremely private and paranoid about being watched. He's a devout Catholic and a jazz lover. He has no friends other than business associate Stan (John Cazale). He's secretive even with girlfriend Amy Fredericks (Teri Garr). Director (Robert Duvall) hired him to spy on couple Ann and Mark. Martin Stett (Harrison Ford) tries to get the tapes but Caul refuses. They bring back a bunch of fellow investigators attending the surveillance convention and it's revealed that he's haunted by an incident in New York. He become concerned about what is going to happen to Ann and Mark.

This is a really fascinating character. It taps into the 70s paranoia about technology and surveillance. What starts as fascinating technical idea turns into a deeply disturbed personal struggle. It doesn't give easy answers. The audience strains to understand what's going on in the case. That's part of the appeal from Francis Ford Coppola. He lays out the cards but doesn't necessarily explain them.

Enigmatic, frustrating, confusing, intelligent and overall extremely brilliant work by writer/director Francis Ford Coppola (Oscar-nominated for his screenplay) has surveillance expert Gene Hackman recording a conversation between Cindy Williams and Frederic Forrest. It immediately appears that the duo are having an affair behind Williams' very wealthy husband's (a cameo by Robert Duvall) back. However nothing is quite as cut and dry as it seems. Hackman, a devout Catholic, has a bout of conscience as he worries that Duvall might have deviant plans for his wife and her apparent lover. Apparently Hackman's work had meant the lives of some he had spied on many years earlier in New York and he is shown as a quiet man who has some loud personal demons within his soul. The suspense builds when Hackman is followed by Duvall's shady employee (Harrison Ford) and eventually the heat rises to a boil as all the very loose ends are tied together in a wickedly twisted final act. "The Conversation" was Coppola's other film from 1974 (remember Best Picture Oscar winner "The Godfather, Part II"?). With this movie, Coppola created arguably the two best films of that dominant cinematic campaign (of course Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" would have something to say about that). Hackman delivers a deceptively difficult and dark performance as a man who seems to be self-destructing slowly on the inside out. By the end "The Conversation" is a thought-provoking product that will chill you to the bone with its cold elements. 5 stars out of 5.

To me The Conversation is one of most underrated movies ever. The movie carries on so quietly throughout that the suspense of the movie keeps on building up to one of the best endings in movie history.

The directing of this film was among one of the best I have ever seen. Coppola is able to craft his way through another one of his classics. The movie is just perfectly edited together and is so gripping throughout. His directing really takes the audiene to another world that most to almost all of us do not know about. That world is the world of security surveillance and spies. This though is not an ordinary spy movie, it is a very realistic psychological portrayal and the affects of knowing the real truth. Instead of this movie becoming a complete flop it becomes better and better as it carries on. Along with the cinematography and music he makes the audience feel how remote and controlled our society is. Coppola did not just show it he gave you the actual feeling of it. Coppola deserves much of the credit for this.

The writing was very good too. Once again Coppola uses his writing to keep the audience very much engaged into the movie. The writing in this movie ranks up their with his other screenplays such as The Godfather series, Apocalypse Now and Patton.

The acting was a bit of surprise to me. It was better than I expected. This film convinced me that Gene Hackman is prime talent. He is not just a man who plays the man always involved in a shouting match but in fact he is a versatile actor who has really limited himself rather than his abilities limiting him. He was perfect for this movie. The supporting cast was great as well. Robert Duvall who always gives the best cameos was good in here too. Harrison Ford who I wish actually had some more screen time was very convincing as a manipulative high ranking executive.

The ending in this movie to me is one of the best ever. It shows how or fears can consume us and alter our live. It displays how if our fears consume us we lose the feeling of life itself. That is at least my take of it. This is Coppola's hidden masterpiece that should be seen by all. It will definitely make you think.

A paranoid, secretive surveillance expert called Harry Caul (reportedly Gene Hackman's favorite movie in which he has acted) will go anywhere to bug a private conversation , as he is becoming increasingly uneasy about his current job . He is a solitary man in both his personal and professional life, only helped by his assistant Stan (early deceased John Cazale of Deer Hunter) , as they are watching a young couple (Cindy Williams , Frederic Forrest , Coppola's fetish actor) when Harry begins to suspect that they are murder targets . The professional eavesdropper haunted by the time his bugging cost the lives of some people and terrified that it is happening again , as he has a crisis of conscience when he suspects that a couple he is spying on will be murdered . As Harry refines and re-refines the recording, he interprets what he hears in different ways . As Harry discovers shattering revelation believes that the lives of the young couple are in jeopardy .

This interesting flick turns out to be a powerful statement about privacy , guilty and responsibility ; being ¨surveillance¨ as the basis and theme of the film . The picture contains thrills , emotion , thought-provoking issues and plot twists during the last reel . Very good acting by Gene Hackman as a freelance surveillance expert as well as an intensely private and solitary mature man . His mood of isolation and loneliness is pretty well established . The ¨Tapper¨ Gene Hackman learned to play the saxophone especially for the film . Gene Hackman later plays a former NSA agent who is a surveillance expert in ¨Enemy of the state¨ (1998) by Tony Scott , and the images of his character in his younger days are taken directly from this film . Secondary cast is frankly good , such as John Cazale as his business associate , Allen Garfield as Bernie Moran , Frederic Forrest as Mark , Cindy Williams as Ann and special appearance by Robert Duvall as the Director . In addition , a pre-stardom Harrison Ford , Billy Dee Williams and Teri Garr appear in minor characters .

David Shire's original music was composed prior to production and played for the actors prior to their scenes to get them into the proper moods. Evocative and appropriate cinematography by Bill Butler and Haskell Wexler as uncredited director of photography . This well-made motion picture was stunningly directed by Francis Ford Coppola . In fact , this is Francis Ford Coppola's personal favorite of his movies. Coppola had written the outline in 1966 but couldn't get financing until The Godfather (1972) became a success. ¨The Conversation¨ resulted to be one of the best films of the 70s . Rating : Better than average , don't blink during throughout the film . Essential and indispensable seeing for thriller lovers and Gene Hackman fans .

The Conversation is a stark look into the modern art of surveillance and its affect on one of its practitioners. Harry Caul (Hackman) is at the top of his business, but he's disturbed. Highly paranoiac, he is troubled by bad things that happened to some innocent people as a result of a prior surveillance job. Now he's afraid it's happening again....

The Conversation could not be more antithetical of the current movie making style. Stark, claustrophobic, unsexy, slow-paced, and with almost no soundtrack, it slowly builds to its dramatic noirish denouement.

A real treat, and as an added attraction the actors include a young Cindy Williams, Terri Garr, John Cazale, and Harrison Ford. Worth the rental unless anything outside of the MTV mould causes agitation.

The Conversation has over the years been elevated as a great conspiracy thriller. Something Francis Coppola managed to knock up between The Godfather II and writing the screenplay for The Great Gatsby.

Gene Hackman gives a nuanced performance as Harry Caul. A paranoid loner who is a devout Catholic, he plays the saxophone and keeps his work to himself. Even his co-worker Stan (John Cazale) is kept at a distance and not told what he is exactly listening to.

Harry is a legend in the field of covert surveillance but he suffers guilt from the tragic consequences of his work in the past. Yet he is also careless as a rival manages to bug Harry by way of a pen given to him at a convention.

In Harry's latest assignment he has recorded a conversation of two people walking around in Union Square, a feat that he is proud of.

However as Harry listens further to the conversation we hear fragments of them talking but we miss the beats and stresses of the words. Are the couple plotting or being plotted against.

Harrison Ford and Robert Duvall make minor appearances as members of the corporation who have hired Harry for the job.

Harry feels that lives are in danger and is getting increasingly paranoid and delusional.

The film is a slow burner but not as dull as the similar themed Blow Up. The Conversation jolts you with its visions and unravelling of its mystery.

It is still a minor piece even though it forms part of the group of mid 1970s conspiracy thrillers which includes The Parallax View, Three Days of the Condor, and All the President's Men.

The reason being that although it has attracted a cult following and critical praise. The Conversation is too slow and downbeat, almost as Coppola wanted to contrast it with the grandeur of the Godfather films.

Perhaps more aptly titled 'The Conscience' as Gene Hackman suffers intense psychological trauma at the prospect the product of his professional life could result in consequences he's previously struggled to accept. As good a performance as any reflecting mental torment and anguish.

However, if he had any awareness of the future world that awaits and the actions governments would take to surveil its citizens with impunity - he really would have something to worry about.

Francis Form Coppola's The Conversation was his only film from the seventies written and directed by him (and made through his Zoetrope studios), and it is no less than a major credit to his status as a creative, successfully experimental filmmaker of the new-wave of American directors of the 70's. The Conversation is a first-person story of a surveillance man named Harry Caul, played by Gene Hackman, who's well respected by his fellow snoop-peers, but isn't always that good at it. After getting audio on a conversation between a man and woman talking about a murder, or one that could happen, and trying to decipher some muddled words in it, he leaves his door open for the tapes to be stolen, and this sets him into a paranoid state fearing a deja-vu will occur for him (his work caused some deaths years before).

What's so fascinating and telling about The Conversation is that its basic storyline and development is that of a thriller, yet the way Coppola uses Hackman's Harry brings to the story themes of guilt, privacy, fear, loneliness, and so forth that go to reel the viewer into the psychology of this character. The ones Harry is listening in on are important to the story, but not so much as Harry's placement on the outskirts of what else is going on in the story. A more conventional film would've gone with The Director character (in a cameo by Robert Duvall), or even with the people Harry Caul listens in on. Instead we get a viewpoint strictly from the sideline, which is often harrowing, especially from his perspective.

Two aspects to The Conversation really struck me on my first viewing, outside of Bill Butler's keenly observatory camera-work and the acting from the main and supporting players: the sound in most scenes is rather extraordinary for the times. Whether we're hearing the conversation in its repetitious form(s), listening in on a silence about to break, or even in just a seemingly normal scene, when sounds, either diegetic or non-diegetic, come into play it's like Coppola, and his Academy Award nominated (should've won) sound men Walter Murch and Art Rochester, are stretching the boundaries for it, and were arguably expanding its usage before movie-goers ears. The other thing that struck me was how Coppola gets the viewer deeper into Harry's mood with surrealistic images that are all the more frightening since they seem totally real to Harry. The prime example of this would be the hotel room scene - because Harry is a sort of anti-hero, and we can still identify with him slightly on a moral level, the dream-like moments become potent, visionary.

And then there's Hackman as Harry Caul- he plays him to the best of the great actor's ability, revealing levels of sorrow, bitterness, humility, and regret all with total conviction that another actor might've not grasped. By the end of the film, the viewer's been brought along on this journey via Harry, and though Coppola was the mastermind behind how it was crafted, it was Hackman to me who brought the whole experience to a sense of realism to a thriller that has illusions to spare. Whether or not the conversation hurt others or brought upon shame on The Director isn't the point, and that's how Coppola must've wanted it - he was inspired by Antonioni's Blowup, which used photographs as a man's obsession instead of sound - the point is Harry's journey through this assignment, and how it begins to whittle him down to a nub...One of the best films of 1974, The Conversation also won the prestigious Palme D'Or at Cannes that year. A+

Ingenious and mesmerizing art film from producer-writer-director Francis Ford Coppola, in-between "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II" and doing astounding, fluid work. Gene Hackman gives a superbly controlled performance as a wire-tapper who gets too involved in one of his cases, leaving him in the center of a macabre swirl of events. One of those quiet movies that fans of today's blockbusters probably won't appreciate; it tells us quite a lot about the main character without actually saying much at all, so assured are the visuals. It ends on a chilling note that leaves the protagonist alienated from his life, but Coppola is careful never to alienate his audience. Coppola received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay; Hackman deserved a nod as Best Actor but was shamefully overlooked. Their film is a winner. ***1/2 from ****

Union Square, San Francisco. Noontime, December 2, 1972. A mime mimics passersby as a young couple walk around in circles, talking in fragments. We zoom in closer as the woman spies a derelict sleeping on a bench.

"I always think he was once somebody's baby boy," the woman sighs.

We aren't the only ones eavesdropping on this conversation. Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) has two parabolic microphones and a guy carrying a tape recorder following their every move. Why? Don't ask him.

"I don't care what they're doing," he tells his associate Stan (John Cazale). "All I want is a nice fat recording." But Harry wants something more, it turns out, in this moody paranoia piece by director Francis Ford Coppola, shot between two "Godfathers" that won Best Picture awards and every bit as good as either of them. Not perfect, but very, very good, a film that captures the zeitgeist of the 1970s like a butterfly on a pin. Harry is a professional eavesdropper, yes, "the best bugger on the West Coast," but try as he might, he's not immune from the human mystery of his work.

You know you are watching a terrific film when you see Hackman sharing a scene with Robert Duvall and Harrison Ford, the latter in an early role as a weaselly majordomo. You know you are watching a subversive one when the three great actors are being upstaged by a Doberman. "There's not a laugh in the whole movie," Harry is told at one point, perhaps a wink from Francis regarding the heavy subject matter. But it is relevant, what with Watergate exploding at the time of the film's release and the question of surveillance a constant one.

I could have done without Allen Garfield's too-heavy turn as a rival of Harry's, or a detour between Harry and his girlfriend (a badly shot Teri Garr) that takes us nowhere. Yes, as many point out here, the main riddle of the film, having to do with the mystery couple and a stray line of conversation Harry picks up, doesn't exactly match up on later reflection. But it doesn't have to, because Coppola establishes early on, by focusing so much on Harry, that what we are dealing with here is subjective, not objective, reality. It's "Rashomon" wired for sound, and a perfect companion piece where reality itself was a twistable thing.

Great central work by Hackman, who according to Coppola's commentary track felt miserable in the role of Harry and looks it. Other superlative work includes David Shire's creepy and sad score for solo piano, Walter Murch's editing and sound "design" that captures the title conversation in all its odd, devolving permutations. It's amazing to me how anyone who lived through the 1970s can still totally buy into the enveloping mystery of the story, even if it does feature Han Solo and Shirley Feeney. (Cindy Williams, perhaps a bigger star later that decade than Ford or even Hackman as one-half of TV's "Laverne & Shirley", makes for a great object of Harry's bugging and, eventually, his tragic passion.)

In the end, "The Conversation" isn't really about the politics of surveillance, or the individual versus society. It's about a guy who realizes the world he watches has teeth, and that the sad derelict he overhears someone talking about may well be himself. No man is an island, even if some are better off that way.

"I have nothing personal, nothing of value," Harry tells us. The bitter brilliance of "The Conversation" is Coppola's way of showing us how much better off he would have been had he been right.

Two of the greatest films of the 1970s would have to be Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" and "The Godfather: Part II". Both films are brilliantly made, amazingly polished and are considered by many to be classics. A much lesser-known film by Coppola came out between them, "The Conversation". However, despite being a much smaller sort of film, it has gained a cult-like following--and many folks think it's among the best films of the 1970s as well. It's as if they see it as an 'undiscovered' film by Coppolla--one the public never really embraced like these other much more famous films. Well, after seeing it, I did appreciate it and am glad I saw it--but I also think the word classic is not one I'd associate with the film. It's good...but not much more.

The film stars Gene Hackman as a slimy private investigator who specializes in providing surveillance for his customers. In other words, he uses bugs to eavesdrop on others and the morality of this hasn't so far been a major issue for him. However, in a current case, he is having some misgivings. After all, the young couple who he's listening to with his high tech devices seem like nice people. And, he starts to worry about HOW this information might be used or misused--since in another case, his information he gathered actually led to someone being killed.

This sort of topic isn't at all surprising for 1974. Think about it--this came out around the same time that the Watergate affair came to light. I am sure that this has something to do with why the film has a huge fan base. However, despite the timely subject matter and an interesting plot, the film could have been a lot better for me. It had a lot of slow points--and I felt my attention waning many times-- much of it because the acting was so restrained (almost zombie-like). It also had a lot of portions that made you wonder if what you were seeing was real or it it was in the main character's imagination--something that didn't seem to work for me. Still, it's a highly inventive film and is worth your time--just make sure you can stay awake and focused--ultimately it is worth it.

It's hard to believe that Francis Ford Coppola made this film in between the first two Godfather films. He completely owned the 70's in terms of just making hit after hit after hit. The Conversation is just another critically acclaimed film in his long list of all time greats. But it was also an impeccably timed film as it was right at the heart of the Watergate scandal at the white house along with the world finding out and freaking out about wiring and bugging homes. And there's something to be said about films that speak to real life scenarios.

The story centers around Mr. Caul, played by Gene Hackman, who goes into a mental frenzy after bugging a couple walking in a park. I love the way the film starts, having the credits roll as we watch and listen to them walk in and around this park. The process of tapping the targets was interesting but I would have liked to have seen more of that process. What we do get is a look into how much a process like this can get to a person. And how much just the way someone says something can change an entire conversation. The emphasis on words becomes extremely important throughout this film. We get many scenes with Hackman showcasing the horrors of doing something like this puts you through. As of matter of fact this movie can be looked at as a hidden horror film. But at it's core, it's a politically charged mystery thriller.

We also get supporting performances from John Cazale, Harrison Ford, Teri Garr, and even Robert Duvall. It's Hackman's film, but everyone gives a good performance. Complimented by a haunting score by David Shire, The Conversation is one of the more disturbing films that isn't supposed to be disturbing. It goes to show you just how small you can be even when you feel like you're in charge.

+Hackman's hopeless and disturbed performance

+Haunting score

+Supporting cameos and performances

+Ominous feeling

-Like to see more of the bugging process

8.3/10

GENE HACKMAN gives a virtuoso performance as a loner, a weird one at that whose character is never fleshed out because he can't bare to reveal himself to anyone--not even the viewer. At least that's the limitation imposed upon him by the dull script. What could have been an extraordinarily fine suspenser, is turned into a slow-paced character study that only skims the surface of its protagonist who is an expert in surveillance but unable to connect with any of the rather boring individuals around him. The script fails to inject any of the other characters with life, so that we never get to know what makes anyone tick. Annoying? Yes. Frustrating? Yes. Enigmatic? Too enigmatic for comfort. After nearly two hours of watching Hackman spy on a young couple and teasing us with the one sentence he is sure means they are afraid of being murdered, the script takes a different turn at the last moment and the audience at least gets a bit of a twist if it is still awake to face the denouement. Maddeningly slow with scenes that aren't even needed to fill in some awkward gaps in the screenplay, this could have been a tremendously suspenseful film under a director like Alfred Hitchcock with a writer like Ernest Lehman (who did "North by Northwest"). But Coppola has skipped all of the conventional ways of building suspense in favor of a semi-documentary approach that falls flat and fails to register in a gripping enough way to keep the story taut and interesting. Instead, his departure from the usual way of filming, is an exercise in tedium. This is the sort of film-making that became common in the '70s, a sort of audio version of Brian De Palma's BLOW UP, but not nearly as effective. What might have made an interesting story never reaches its full potential.